While walking at XPeng’s Munich showcase event, you’ll be welcomed by an impressive giant wooden Trojan horse—a striking symbol of a Chinese brand unveiling the world’s first electric vehicle in the heart of the German automotive industry.
It’s remarkable that XPeng has achieved such milestones since its establishment just 12 years ago. By 2020, the company had already begun exporting EVs to Norway, heralding the entry of Chinese manufacturers into the European market.
Check out the top 10 of Chinese EV manufacturers. While XPeng may not top the sales charts, it is steadily expanding its reputation outside China. The company is focusing on global growth with its latest model, the L03.
The L03 stands out as a key model for XPeng, priced at €35,600 (around $40,000), making it a competitive alternative to the Tesla Model Y and aimed at mass-market consumers.
The L03 doesn’t compromise on features. It boasts a WLTP range of 320 miles, can charge from 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes, and includes a panoramic glass roof, hot and cold massage seats, and customizable ambient lighting in 256 colors. With an impressive 0.228 drag coefficient, smart parking, a 15.6-inch 2.5K central display, a 27-inch HUD, AI voice control, and built-in Google Maps, it offers exceptional value.
All these features come standard across variants, including Vanilla, Long Range, AWD, and Ultra models. XPeng promotes this “wealth of features” with the tagline “beyond class.” The L03 is poised to compete with EVs from rivals like Volkswagen’s ID.4.
Performance-wise, the five-seater L03 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds for the top model, while the standard range version clocks in at a respectable 7.5 seconds.
Photo: Provided by XPeng
While most L03 models offer Level 2 autonomous driving, the Ultra variant is set to upgrade to L2++ capabilities for point-to-point navigation by 2027, thanks to three advanced Turing 7-nanometer AI chips from XPeng. An over-the-air update will enable this hands-off driving system.
On paper, the L03 provides impressive value for money. However, there are concerns. In China, it’s known as the Mona L03 as part of XPeng’s budget Mona sub-brand, though XPeng has chosen to downplay this designation in its global marketing. Reports suggest some specifications have been adjusted for the international “non-Mona” version, likely to justify the branding change.
Regarding future L4 autonomy, the Ultra L03 possesses the necessary processing power, but XPeng’s senior director of engineering, Xianming Liu, has noted that it lacks the essential six levels of redundancy required for such capabilities, limiting it to L2++ functionality.
Source: www.wired.com